Here's a look at what was making headlines in Whistler 18 years ago, during the week of March 31, 2005.
Poll finds Sea to Sky voters tired of BC Liberals and NDP
A poll commissioned by the Coalition to Save Eagleridge Bluffs at Horseshoe Bay and the Western Residents Association of West Vancouver, through Robbins SCE Research, found significant dissatisfaction among Sea to Sky voters with the governing BC Liberals and leaning instead toward the growing Green Party of BC
According to the poll, 55 per cent of those surveyed agreed with the statement, “Frankly, I am tired of both the BC Liberal and NDP political parties and would like to be able to see another party or independent represent my riding," with that number rising among Whistler and Squamish voters 65 and 60 per cent, respectively.
The poll also asked residents their opinions on local issues of the day and found that 70 per cent of those surveyed felt the government’s decision to sell BC Rail to CN Rail in 2004 was not the correct decision. The survey also found that 55 per cent supported constructing a four-lane tunnel rather than a four-lane overland highway at Horseshoe Bay for environmental reasons. The government decided against the tunnel option.
World Ski and Snowboard Festival Celebrates 10 Years
The Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival (WSSF) celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special edition of the Photographer Showdown. The instalment brought back past showdown winners for a Best of Show screening, including Jason Childs (2004), Jon Humphries (2003), Dave Heath (2002), Blake Jorgenson (2001), J. Grant Brittain (2000), Aaron Chang (1999) and Eric Berger (1998).
From a small event held in a crowded pub in 1997 to sold-out crowds of thousands, the festival became renowned worldwide for celebrating winter sport. The 26th WSSF will take place between April 10-16 this year.
New WAG shelter is almost complete
Work was nearing completion on a new $535,000 Whistler Animal Galore (WAG) animal shelter in the Nesters Mons area, next to the bottle depot, with an open house planned for the following month to show off the new facility. ”It has been a long time coming,” said shelter director Carol Coffey at the time.
Approved by Whistler council in 2004, the shelter upgrade came at a much-needed time as the previous building between Day Skier Lots 3 and 4 had fallen into a dilapidated state and had become cramped.
Whistler Museum and Archives at a crossroads
The Whistler Museum and Archives Society and Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) put out a request for proposals for a consultant to do a market analysis to identify future museum visitors and determine which stories to tell as well as how—and where—they should be delivered.
“I think the municipality wants to make sure that there’s a strong business case if we were to take it over, and that we had performed due diligence and made sure that it’s a move we want to take,” said RMOW parks planner Martin Pardoe at the time.
Upgrading the aging museum had been on the municipality's wish list for more than a decade. In 2000, the RMOW undertook a fundraising campaign to build a new library and museum. That fundraising campaign fell short of its $5-million goal, so the council of the day voted in 2003 to move forward with a new library instead, with the museum's fate remaining up in the air. The museum ended up staying in its current location and is now going through the permitting process to build a new building.
Highway 99 proclaimed as part of the Coast-Cariboo Circle Route
The Ministry of Transportation (MOT) designated Highway 99 through Whistler, Pemberton and Lillooet, and Highway 97 through Cache Creek, Williams Lake and Bella Coola (Highway 20) and back as a new Coast to Cariboo circle route, one of eight routes in the province, in an effort to boost tourism outside of the traditional markets.
“We want to boost tourism province-wide and encourage people to go out and see the entire province. It is an added tourism investment and good for local economies,” said MOT spokesperson Dave Crebo at the time.
